The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-28
BY ACCIDENT.
How Mrs. Escott Was Cured OF
Her Selfish Sorrow.

Her Selfish Sorrow.
Mrs EScOtt sat alone In her room, by
"a sunny south window. her hands lying
IDLY :H her lap, her sombre eyes gazing
vacantly before her. as though The
great garden below with its wealth of
ahrubbery and flowers and the green
3aGn beyond. possessed nothing 80 in
terest or charm her. She owned the
handsome stone house with its many
beautiful rooms, all handsomely fur
I,jshed. the extensive orcharl aud the
fer1le pasture and woodland beyond it.
<ihe had very comfortable bank ac-
count, too. and did not spend half her
INCOME But she was NOT happy Her
heart was empty, and consequently life
possessed little of interest for her- IN
deed, she often asked herself why she
was permitted to live at all, finding ~
she did the days SO long, so burdensoMe,
so full of bitterness and pain
Ii had been different once. Of course.
Far from this little town into which
she had come a stranger two years he
fore this June day on which nv story
"Opens, she had once had happy home,
a loving husband, two noble sous, and
Il fair, young daughter. Death had
robbed her of them all. and left her hit
fer, cold ard desOIate- She hed left
fbc place where she had been So happy,
r1nable to bear its painful associations;
had bought this great stone house en-
,l:losed by I. high brick wall. aud had
shut herself away from every one she
had ever known, making NO calls, re-
ceiring none, aud growing harder,
colder and more bitter with every day.
She had been to church only Ince
since she had taken up her abode in
Brentwood. She had not liked the SER
mon on that occasion, and had shoEgnt
che preacher tedious, and uncertain As
40 the theories he expounded- So she
had not gone again.
She saw the minister on the street
NOM, as she sat by the sOuth window.
He was thin, stoop-shOuldered maR.
with a carewcrH face, and ske felt no
Interest in him whatever When she
heard her doOr-beu ring. a MON ent
=1fte- he passed out of sight. she felt
sure he had come to call upon her. and
wondered impatiently if Margaret
vy Uid let him in, or If she would have
the sense to tell him that her mistre IS
was getting ready to go tn the city on
T., nnl 4ho,.nfn,.a a.zN.lA
him.
She rose. and went To tLe daor OF her
poom, taking ter bonnet from the
wardrobe C.. her way. She could hear
MSrgarot's voice very distinctly from
USete she stood.
There's no use in your comm In.
na'am" $50 it was not the minister)-
Mrs. EScott don't give 20 no charities
ct all If she was to give to one she d
fiave to give to all, an the bell would
Ie ringin' continual"
But If could talk to Mrs. EscOtt
fpr only moment, lam sure she would
bc interested in this" replied a
lEoman's voice. clear and earnest. 1T
Is for the benefit of the factory chill
siren. We want to establish reading
room for them. where an entertAiuin 9
lecture of some sort can be given every
Sunday morning. The idea is to keep
them out of the streets and low resorts.
and 10 incite them to be cleaniy and
orderly. If Mrs. Escott would take an
interest in it"
'.Mrs. Escott don't take no interest
IN any thing" interrupted the servant.
WE have her orders that she amt to
bc worried about callers. an though
I'D he willin' to please YOU, ma am, if
I could. it would be as much as NV
place would he worth 10 let you in to
see her. Besides. she's gettin' ready
10 go to the city by the eleven train"
Il am very sorry" said the earnest
voice. Il wish could reach her She
would be happier, think. If she took
an active interest in outside matters p"
There amt no chance o. her hein'
happy. ever" said Margaret She
=,in't got nobody to be happy for" and
then the hall door closed. and Margaret
Ntchi W iflC hilChCh " tAC SON4CNl
of the cook.
Two hours later Mrs. EscOtt was in a
railway train, twenty miles from Brent
wood. Her eyes gazed from the window
by which she sat. but she was thinking g
.of those last words her servant had ut
tered. Was it. true? Was there no
chauce for her even to know happiness
again? Was she never to have any one
Ito be happy for?' Some one had
once suggested to her TO adopt child
but she had recoiled from the idea as
from dagger thrust Shefel that she
.could not put the child of any one elst
ia the place once occupied by her own
3t seemed to her that it would bt
treachery to tae dead.
There mas a sudden jar, and TIN
<rsiS stopped. Five minutes later tn